TABLE 3—
Adjusted Odds Ratios (95% Confidence Intervals [CI]) for Outdoor and Indoor Falls, by Selected Characteristics
| Odds Ratio (95% CI)a | |||
| Characteristic | Fell outdoors | Fell indoors | Indoor vs Outdoor Falls (P) |
| Quintile of metabolic equivalent hours of leisure-time physical activitya,b per month during past year | <.01 | ||
| 1st quintile (0–12) | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| 2nd quintile (13–52) | 1.04 (0.62, 1.73) | 0.94 (0.60, 1.48) | |
| 3rd quintile (53–98) | 1.81 (1.13, 2.88) | 0.79 (0.49, 1.27) | |
| 4th quintile (99–184) | 2.28 (1.44, 3.61) | 0.72 (0.44, 1.19) | |
| 5th quintile (≥ 185) | 2.15 (1.36, 3.41) | 1.01 (0.63, 1.61) | |
| Health-related characteristicsa | |||
| Number of self-reported practitioner-diagnosed diseasesc | <.01 | ||
| 0 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| 1 | 0.82 (0.59, 1.14) | 1.91 (1.28, 2.86) | |
| 2 | 1.23 (0.85, 1.79) | 2.13 (1.32, 3.42) | |
| 3 or more | 1.28 (0.85, 1.93) | 4.16 (2.62, 6.60) | |
| Number of daily living activities that require help or are unable to dod | <.01 | ||
| None | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| 1 | 1.26 (0.85, 1.87) | 1.79 (1.17, 2.72) | |
| 2–3 | 1.16 (0.67, 1.98) | 2.30 (1.38, 3.85) | |
| ≥ 4 | 0.67 (0.30, 1.51) | 3.05 (1.73, 5.37) | |
| Number of physical difficultiese | <.01 | ||
| 0 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| 1 | 0.86 (0.61, 1.19) | 1.03 (0.66, 1.59) | |
| 2–3 | 1.03 (0.72, 1.46) | 1.97 (1.30, 2.98) | |
| 4–5 | 1.19 (0.77, 1.86) | 2.89 (1.81, 4.62) | |
| ≥ 6 | 0.68 (0.28, 1.64) | 7.21 (4.14, 12.6) | |
| Number of foot problemsf | .68 | ||
| 0 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| 1–2 | 1.17 (0.83, 1.66) | 1.24 (0.82, 1.90) | |
| ≥ 3 | 1.47 (1.02, 2.11) | 1.79 (1.16, 2.76) | |
| Number of lower-extremity neuromuscular symptoms g | .04 | ||
| 0 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| 1 | 1.85 (1.37, 2.49) | 2.30 (1.61, 3.30) | |
| 2–3 | 1.76 (1.28, 2.42) | 3.09 (2.18, 4.39) | |
| Number of medicationsh | .24 | ||
| 0 | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| 1–5 | 1.50 (0.91, 2.46) | 1.30 (0.70, 2.40) | |
| 6–9 | 0.96 (0.67, 1.38) | 1.52 (1.02, 2.28) | |
| ≥ 10 | 1.34 (0.99, 1.82) | 1.64 (1.14, 2.36) | |
| Use of medication to help with sleep | .27 | ||
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 1.19 (0.92, 1.54) | 1.46 (1.09, 1.96) | |
| Use of walking aidsi | |||
| None | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Any | 1.70 (1.04, 2.78) | 3.38 (2.17, 5.27) | .02 |
| Self-reported health status | .01 | ||
| Excellent | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Good | 0.84 (0.64, 1.11) | 1.18 (0.84, 1.66) | |
| Fair | 0.82 (0.54, 1.25) | 1.66 (1.06, 2.59) | |
| Poor | 1.20 (0.54, 2.69) | 4.25 (2.12, 8.49) | |
| Lifestyle factors and body buildb | |||
| Cigarette smokingc | .64 | ||
| Never | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Current/past | 1.37 (1.05, 1.79) | 1.27 (0.93, 1.72) | |
| Alcohol consumption in past year | .17 | ||
| No | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 1.89 (1.42, 2.52) | 1.43 (1.05, 1.95) | |
| Body mass index | 0.29 | ||
| Normal (18.5–25.0) | 1.00 | 1.00 | |
| Underweight (< 18.5) | 1.16 (0.39, 3.43) | 2.20 (0.87, 5.58) | |
| Overweight (25.1–30) | 1.10 (0.82, 1.47) | 1.22 (0.86, 1.73) | |
| Obese (> 30.0) | 1.12 (0.78, 1.59) | 1.71 (1.16, 2.52) | |
aAdjusted by a multinomial logistic regression model for gender, age, Kaiser-reported race/ethnicity, college education, and mode of interview.
bN = 1995 for this variable, mainly because of the abbreviated interviews. Of these, 1510 did not fall, 285 fell outdoors, and 200 fell indoors.
cDiseases queried were diabetes, angina, heart attack or heart failure, stroke or blood clot in the brain, epilepsy, seizures, convulsions or fits, kidney disease, cataracts, glaucoma, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, depression, cancer, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism.
dActivities of daily living include using the telephone, getting groceries, getting to places outside of walking distance, preparing meals, doing chores around the house, taking medications, and handling finances.
eInability to do or have difficulty with heavy housework; walking up and down stairs; walking half a mile without help; pushing/pulling a large object; stooping, crouching, or kneeling; lifting or carrying 10 pounds; reaching or extending arms above shoulder; and writing or handling small objects.
fIncludes 14 foot problems: flat feet, high arches, lateral deviation of big toe, hammer toe or claw-like toe, bunions on feet, corns on feet, calluses on feet, Plantars warts on feet, ingrown toenails, painful toenails, cold feet most of time, arthritis of the toe, arthritis of feet, and other.
gIncludes 3 neuromuscular symptoms: numbness or weakness in feet or leg; limping; and pain, numbness, burning, or tingling in legs or feet when not walking.
hA history of use of selected medications (thiazide diuretics, water pills, Tums, other calcium supplements, multivitamins, melatonin, steroid pills, and seizure medications) at least once per week for at least 1 year.
iIncludes cane, walker, wheelchair, artificial leg, and brace.